1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention generally relates to methods for preventing the piracy of software applications. The invention relates more particularly to a computer method and system for preventing the piracy of a given software application through use of a communications network, such as the Internet, wherein a given software application, installed on a user system, will function only after a remote service provider transmits a code sequence that will activate the software for use.
2. Description of the Related Art
The creation of the personal computer has drastically simplified the way in which people manage their business and personal affairs. One of the main reasons why the computer has had such a great impact on our lives is due to the constant development of software applications which allow the computer to perform an array of different tasks and functions. As software applications advance, however, so too does their complexity and the programming skill needed to write and develop them. This has naturally caused many software applications to be quite expensive. Such high costs have often resulted in unauthorized distribution of copied software that has not been paid for or licensed to the user. This type of piracy is especially common among friends, relatives, and business associates. Additionally, people also profit from piracy by producing illegal copies of a software application and distributing them in mass quantities for drastically reduced prices.
Due to the availability and low cost of sophisticated computer equipment such as the CD Write/Re-Write drive, software piracy has become a much greater concern over the current years. Today, virtually everyone can get access to such equipment and distribute CD based copies of software applications to whomever they please. Mass distribution of pirated software not only deprives software manufacturers of their deserved earnings, but also allows other software pirators to pirate unlicensed copies of that application and propound the damage exponentially. As such, piracy has often resulted in inflated software prices and irreparable damage to software companies.
In an effort to combat the problems of software piracy, many software companies have employed various preventative measures. Some of these include software access codes, activation plugs (i.e., Memo-HASP), registration, and even costly technical support services. Although somewhat effective, these measures have often been defeated with relative ease and little or no expense. For example, software access codes which must be entered to gain access to the software, are disclosed with the software package and are thus, easily copied and distributed to unlicensed users. Activation plugs, such as the ones which attach to the PC's parallel port, have also been easily duplicated by various manufacturers who illegally sell them on the black market. Furthermore, while registration of the software would inform the manufacturer of all users (licensed and unlicensed), pirators rarely register given the absence of a compelling motivation to do so. Lastly, technical support groups are likewise, rarely used by pirators, given their reluctance to disclose their illegal use of the software. As shown by these and other ineffective measures, it would be advantageous for a software manufacturer to control the functionality of a given software application in relation to each of its identified users.